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Olympic dreams in the balance at Adelaide 3-Day event

Olympic dreams in the balance at Adelaide - Deloitte 3-Day event

The horses and riders are rolling into town for the Southern Hemisphere’s greatest equestrian showdown, the Deloitte Australian International 3-Day Event to be held in Victoria Park Racecourse and the surrounding parklands, 18-20 November 2011.

Adelaide hosts the only 4-star eventing class south of the equator and this year for the first time the event joins the HSCB FEI Classics™, a series which includes the six CCI4-star events held worldwide. The Deloitte Australian 3-Day Event will host the second leg of the HSBC FEI Classics™ 2012 season.

The event, which also runs a two star level competition, will boast a total of 99 horses with 35 in the elite CCI4-star. Seven Australian Olympians, including six medallists (Shane Rose, Megan Jones, Stuart Tinney, Clayton Fredericks, Sonja Johnson and Wendy Schaeffer) will compete across the two classes alongside riders from New Zealand, USA, Australia, United Kingdom and Italy for a total prize pool of more than $100,000.

With London2012 just around the corner national selectors will be paying close attention this week. This is the only opportunity for riders to put in a 4-star performance on home soil ahead of next year’s Games.

Australia’s Eventing National Performance Director, Prue Barrett, explains the significance of the event in terms of the Olympic Games. “Adelaide a key event in preparation for Australian based riders in their bid to be selected for London. We have more than ten combinations competing at Adelaide that could possibly be chosen on the team so this is a hugely important competition,” she said.

“The Deloitte Australian International 3-Day Event is the country’s premier equestrian competition and one of only six 4-star events held around the world,” explained Event Director and dual Olympic gold medallist Gillian Rolton (AUS).

“For the last 10 years, Adelaide has been the chosen host city of this hallmark equestrian event. We are now extremely proud to take our place in the HSBC FEI Classics™ 2012 season and we’re looking forward to welcoming visitors and competitors to an action-packed event in our unique City of Adelaide Parkland setting.”

Riders will be judged by an international Ground Jury, which includes visiting judges Anne-Mette Binder (DEN) and Vanda Robinson (IRE) as well as Australia’s Barry Roycroft. Also travelling from abroad is the Great Britain’s Alec Lochore, who will be the Technical Delegate for the four-star class.

Course Designer Wayne Coping (AUS) will challenge riders with a spectacular course winding through the city parklands. A new water complex in Rymill Lake promises to test combinations and thrill the spectators during Saturday’s cross-country action.